Parenting Behaviors and Family Conflict as Predictors of Adolescent Sleep and Bedtime Media Use

Heather Leonard; Atika Khurana

doi:10.1007/s10964-022-01614-4

Parenting Behaviors and Family Conflict as Predictors of Adolescent Sleep and Bedtime Media Use

J Youth Adolesc. 2022 Aug;51(8):1611-1621. doi: 10.1007/s10964-022-01614-4. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Authors

Heather Leonard¹, Atika Khurana²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services, University of Oregon, 1215 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA. hleonar3@uoregon.edu.
² Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services, University of Oregon, 1215 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA.

PMID: 35478301
DOI: 10.1007/s10964-022-01614-4

Abstract

Inadequate sleep in adolescents has been linked to an increase in screen-based media use, especially at bedtime. Parents can play a critical role in regulating adolescent media use and promoting healthy sleep, yet few studies have evaluated parental effects on these outcomes. This study examined the effects of general and media-specific parenting behaviors and family conflict on adolescent sleep outcomes, both directly and indirectly through bedtime media use. Data were collected from 345 middle-schoolers (M_age = 12.65 ± 0.67 years; 47% female; 59% White) at two time points, six months apart. The findings revealed that parental involvement had a significant positive effect on sleep duration that was mediated by bedtime media use. Family conflict had a direct positive effect on daytime sleepiness. Adolescent sleep interventions could benefit from a parenting component focused on positive involvement and fostering a family climate conducive to sleep.

Keywords: Adolescent sleep; Bedtime media use; Family conflict; Parenting behaviors; Restrictive mediation; Sleep.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Child
Family Conflict*
Female
Humans
Male
Parenting*
Parents
Sleep / physiology
Sleep Deprivation